How to Create Resilient Tourism Regions?

Attraction of touristic destinations is increasingly decreasing due to the facts such as increasing temperatures, extreme weather events, rising sea levels and scarcity of fresh water. Natural beauty, biological diversity, and cultural heritage many touristic areas have are all under threat. Especially coastal areas are faced with the rise of sea level as well as rapid consumption of natural resources. Forest fires and infrastructures negatively affected with the impact of climate change are threatening tourism regions known by the world. And at this very point, resilient tourism against climate crisis comes into play.

Alps receive 120 million tourists per year on average. However, seasonal snow cover duration in the last 50 years shortened by 5,6 percent in every 10 years. Maya Bay Beach at Thailand is being closed to visitation for recovery of the marine ecosystem and natural rehabilitation. UNESCO suggested adding Venice into the list of Threatened World Heritage due to the rising sea levels. Maldives are among the countries which is the most vulnerable against sea level rising and a massive portion of the islands constituting the country are located 1 m above the sea level. An increase of 0.5 meter and 1.2 meters in sea levels in Maldives until 2100 can cause approximately 77 percent of the country to become submerged under water. Africa continent can lose 50 percent of bird and mammal existence and 20 to 30 percent of life in the lakes by 2100. This situation is expected to affect many touristic activities focused on biological diversity, particularly safari tourism in the region.

​Click here for more information on Threatened World Heritage.

Creating resilient tourism areas against climate crisis means ensuring sustainability in environmental and economic terms. Resilience not only means protection of nature, but it also refers to consolidation and strengthening of regional economies against the negative impacts of climate crisis. Unfortunately, tourism sector is one of the most vulnerable sectors despite its economic significance. The impacts of climate crisis threaten the attractiveness and sustainability of touristic destinations.

So, what are we talking about when we say, ‘resilient tourism’?

Resilient tourism (Resilient Tourism) is an approach in tourism which is characterized by the ability to show resilience against natural disasters, climate change and other challenges. This concept aims to make tourism destinations and businesses prepared for negative events that may occur, to recover rapidly from these events and to develop in a sustainable manner in the long-term. Resilient tourism also involves encouraging protection of local communities and environment and developing strategies to minimize economic losses. In this line, innovation, collaboration, and community involvement come to the fore as the main elements of resilient tourism.

This process which needs to be managed requires extensive planning and innovative strategies. Below, we list the things that need to be done and strategies in this process:

1. Utilization of Renewable Energy
Dependency on conventional energy sources in tourism regions increases carbon emissions as well as threatening the environmental sustainability of the region. Therefore, we need to make tourism destinations more resilient against climate crisis with the utilization of renewable energy. Especially in countries with a high natural potential such as Türkiye, utilization of solar and wind energy can provide an excellent solution for tourism sector.

Already many hotels, motels and resorts in our country have started to minimize their carbon footprints by meeting their energy needs with solar panels and wind turbines. For example, many destinations in Türkiye increased their utilization of renewable energy, thus protecting the environment and reducing energy costs.

For more information on Sentrum Birgi project, click here!​

2. Management of Water and Water Saving
One of the biggest threats we are faced with due to climate crisis is the lessening of water resources. Especially in tourism sector, water consumption is well above average. Hotels, swimming pools, golf courts consume substantial amounts of water. Therefore, efficient utilization of water and development of alternative water sources are critical in tourism.

Utilization of gray water systems in tourism regions can enable recycling and reusing wastewater such as shower and lavatory waters. Natural water resources can be protected through methods such as rainwater collection. This type of smart system both reduces water consumption and ensures more resilience at touristic facilities against water crises.

3. Protection of Biological Diversity and Nature-based Solutions
The natural beauty and biological diversity are the most attractive attributes of touristic regions. However, climate crises are threatening the ecosystems we are living in. Phenomena such as forest fires and sea level rising cause loss in biological diversity, and this directly affects tourism destinations. Therefore, it is quite important to strengthen tourism regions with nature-based solutions.

For more information on biodiversity click here.​​

Nature-based solutions constitute an approach that aims to protect ecosystems by focusing on nature, enabling sustainability in disrupted ecosystem services according to their natural states and thus increasing continuity and resilience of the ecosystems in ecosystem services. The change in ecosystems is a part of the natural process and these have the ability of adaptation to the changing conditions due to climate change thanks to their reactions against the impacts and self-rehabilitating abilities. These characteristics of natural ecosystems are acting as a natural barrier against climate change.

Nature-based solutions are an effective adaptation method to reduce the negative impacts of climate change.

4. Raising Awareness among Local People
Just infrastructural solutions would not be enough to create resilient tourism regions, enabling and raising awareness of local people to participate in the efforts of preventing climate crisis are also important. Including local communities in the active works would increase social resilience would increase social resilience against climate crisis as well as contributing to the protection of cultural heritage in the region.

Tourism businesses should inform the local community about climate change and include them in sustainable practices. For example, local production and consumption can be encouraged to enable economic and environmental sustainability.

5. Climate Risk Analysis and Long-term Planning
Climate risk analysis should be done to make tourism regions more resilient. Risk analyses help with determining how much the areas would be affected by climate crisis, which sectors would receive the most damage, which measures should be taken, and which strategies should be applied. Especially coastal areas and areas under cultural, natural, and historical protection should be protected in light of these analyses and plans should be drawn for the future.

6. Sustainable Transportation
One of the most significant ways to reduce carbon footprint in tourism regions is sustainable transportation solutions. In the touristic areas where vehicle traffic is dense, alternative transportation methods should be encouraged such as electric vehicles and bicycles. Propagation of electric vehicle charging stations also can help with encouraging electric vehicle utilization in the region and reducing energy consumption.

Creating resilient tourism regions against climate crisis is one of the most important investments for the future. Strategies such as renewable energy, water management, protection of biodiversity and electric transportation enable environmental and economic sustainability in destinations. Ensuring local people’s engagement in this process and raising awareness would make long-term planning favorable.

Creating resilient tourism regions against climate crisis would be an investment that would not only protect today but also future generations.

Birgi and Küçükköy stand out as small-scale sustainable tourism regions in Turkey. The SENTRUM project implemented in both villages also aims to increase the resilience of tourism in these areas against the climate crisis. Work is being carried out in these areas on renewable energy use, water management, and the protection of natural and cultural values. At the same time, training is being provided to businesses and local people in the region on energy efficiency. Solar energy systems and energy efficiency applications in Küçükköy reduce carbon emissions and create a sustainable green destination.

Birgi, on the other hand, leads sustainable tourism by preserving its cultural heritage. Renewable energy sources are being integrated without damaging its cultural and historical texture, training is being provided and applications are being made on issues such as waste management, efficient use of water, energy efficiency, sustainable production and consumption, and local supply processes. Strong partners such as Enerjisa, Sabancı University, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Turkish Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) have made significant contributions to the success of sustainable tourism applications implemented in Birgi and Küçükköy.

The work carried out in both villages is among the examples of creating a green tourism destination that is resilient to the climate crisis.

Handling climate crisis and bringing tourism regions to the future are not only imperative but they are also a matter of responsibility and investment. Resilient tourism approach aims to protect natural resources as well as enabling economic development through strategies such as sustainability, renewable energy utilization, water management and protection of biodiversity. Raising awareness among local people and engaging them in the process would increase the success of this process while creating the foundations to leave habitable and sustainable tourism areas to next generations. Examples such as Birgi and Küçükköy show the applicability of resilient tourism while being an inspiration for other destinations. Creating resilient tourism regions against climate crisis is an investment that would not only protect today but also tomorrow.